Welcome to an exciting installment of Adventures in Network Press Releases, where a simple email about the renewal of “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Grimm” instead turns into a stealth renewal announcement for “Parks and Recreation” and “Celebrity Apprentice.”
Earlier this evening, NBC sent out a press release with a simple and clear headline about the first three shows being renewed. Makes sense. The two “Chicago” shows have done relatively well after, respectively, “The Voice” and “Law & Order: SVU,” and NBC likes being in the Dick Wolf business, and “Grimm” has been a stable Friday performer for a few years now.
Then came the strange part, as the release mentioned previous renewals for “The Blacklist,” “The Voice,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Celebrity Apprentice” and “The Biggest Loser.” The problem was that only the first two had actually been previously announced as renewed for next season. Back at press tour, Fienberg goaded Bob Greenblatt into saying he expected “Parks” would be back next season, but no contracts had been signed, “Celebrity Apprentice” had been in limbo for a long time, though there have been recent reports of casting work being done for a 14th edition, and there was no news at all on “Biggest Loser.”
As it turns out, “Biggest Loser” being included was a mistake, but NBC says the others are correct.
So if you have your scoreboard handy, here is what happened tonight:
* “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago PD” and “Grimm” were all renewed, loudly and proudly.
* “Parks and Rec” and “Celebrity Apprentice” got stealth renewals, and we still don’t know when the latter will air or exactly what the deal is for the former (my guess is “Parks” gets the “30 Rock” treatment with a shortened order for a season that we know going in will be the final one).
* “Biggest Loser” fans got their hopes up for a couple of minutes until NBC sent a correction.
* Many other NBC shows (including “Biggest Loser,” but also “Law & Order: SVU,” “Parenthood,” “Hannibal,” “Revolution,” “Dracula,” the new Tuesday comedies, “Community,” and even “The Michael J. Fox Show,” among others) will have their fates decided later in the season, or at upfront time in early May. The improbable “Community” dream of six seasons and a movie: not dead yet!